Night Changes
"So…let me get this straight…you beat every single monster inside the Secret Dungeon? Including the three that just spawned?" Allesiah asked.
The level of disbelief that Allesiah has at the moment is like her saying: "So you skydived while drinking coffee and, even did 300 flips in the air without spilling a single drop of coffee?" That is how incomprehensible the current situation is.
"Uh…seeing as how both of you are still alive, I guess you should believe me right?" Zeke said, holding the stash of loot he got from the end of the lair. He placed it inside a makeshift bag, getting a huge cloth and tying all the things he doesn't need inside it including, the mission's objective.
"A newbie huh. And on your first day too." Boulder replied, lying back as he thought of how all of this seem unrealistic.
With this, the group finally moved out of the lair. Allesiah kept asking Zeke about the details but, he only gave her bits of information leaving out the part of: "Hey I can now summon a whole legion of goblins."
Inside the town, the three tried to find the party members that betrayed them. A failed expedition or quest requires that an adventurer should report back to the guild. Otherwise, the adventurer license is taken back from a person.
This is because, a failed quest means that there are more variables that came into play. There are two which outweighs every other reason.
First is, the mission may be more dangerous than it was first thought to be. If this is the case, then the party that took it has the obligation to report back to the guild. This is in order to properly raise the level of the request and, also its rewards. So many adventurers have died before because the grade of the mission they took turned out to be one or even two grades higher.
The second reason is that, the guild is built on the people's trust. Meaning, quests that are taken in by a party should be either cleared or reported to fail. The quest will then go back to the board. The reason for this is that, the people making the requests would wish for the task they paid for to be cleared. Unless a party reports that a mission is cleared, the guild will believe that the said party is still out there and finishing the request. If the time of delay is too long, people will complain and go to other sources like bandits in order to fulfill their requests.
However, Zeke and the remaining party members did not find the double-crossing group inside the guild. The report was also not made which made things even more difficult. There is no adventurer in their right mind who would not report a failed quest.
"What's going on here?" Zeke thought.
"A SECRET DUNGEON?" The receptionist shouted so loud that everyone inside the guild heard her. A lot of murmuring started including some loud words from other adventurers.
"Marin's party found a secret dungeon?"
"Where is it?"
"Oi receptionist, get the request posted! My party will clear that place!"
"IT'S A MONSTER DUNGEON AND YOU CLEARED IT!?" The receptionist shouted again in disbelief. No one can blame her though. Usually a secret dungeon is reported back to the guild before it is explored. Also, nobody has ever cleared a dangerous secret dungeon and have come out with all their parts intact.
At this, the adventurers all stood up. The uproar became even louder as these people came closer to where Allesiah and Boulder are.
"Well you see…" Allesiah started.
"Crap." Zeke immediately rushed to the scene. He took two requests from the board with him before proceeding. However, people have now huddled around Boulder and Allesiah, making it hard for Zeke to come through.
"I better get Samael out before that girl says something." He thought to himself, not wanting any of the attention that comes with his accomplishment.
Zeke knows that in a world like this, being a famous adventurer means that his life will always be in danger. Also, aristocrats will come looking for him, recruiting him to be their personal aides and all that. But Zeke didn't want to take part in any of that.
"Actually, we were able to find a secret button that summoned a monster to help us. However…" Boulder stopped Allesiah from talking any further. Zeke made a sigh of relief as he heard the big man spouting out lies.
"…it came at the cost of Marin and our twin archers." Boulder said, sounding completely overburdened with the information.
"Whoa, who knew he could act so well." Zeke thought to himself, hearing how Boulder delivered his words so believably.
The murmuring went down into gentle words, consoling both Allesiah and Boulder.
"Damn those monsters."
"Bartender, give these two a drink. Place the tabs on me!"
"Hey guys, let's give them some space. Move move."
Zeke saw the drama unfold and tried his best not to laugh. He saw Allesiah hiding her face, probably also giggling from the dramatic display of Boulder. At this, the adventurers went back to their previous positions, leaving the two with the receptionist.
"Who knew you were such a good actor." Zeke said, going near Boulder.
"I once took drama lessons." Boulder said, with Allesiah still hiding her face in her palms, letting the soft sound of laughter escape her lips.
"Ummm…can I get the details now please?" The receptionist said.
"Oh right of course but, please refrain from shouting like that again Ma'am." Boulder replied.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." The receptionist said, bowing her head before the transaction resumed.
The group returned the heirloom and got the money from the guild. Boulder didn't worry about the lie that he made thinking that, the three would probably never return to the town. With the reward money being given, the group went out to have a little meal someplace else.
"Ehh you're gonna quit being an adventurer?" Allesiah said as Boulder spoke of retirement.
"Hey calm down." Boulder replied, letting Allesiah gain back her composure before he continued.
"I have a family that I need to take care of. With what happened today, I've realized that being a life risking adventurer is probably not the best way to do that."
"Plus." Boulder pointed at Zeke.
"I don't think the guild needs much of what I can offer if newbies like him start appearing."
Zeke didn't respond to this. He couldn't explain that he's actually a professional gamer from another world who was given a system that made him stronger. Hence he only thanked Boulder and diverted the conversation elsewhere, asking if it was okay to lie about the deaths of Marin, Kram, and Mark.
"They probably ran off someplace else. Abandoning your party in the middle of a mission has a serious punishment after all." Allesiah said, getting all wobbly as she placed her drink back on the table.
"Hmm…I see. Then you two should divide all the items that has been collected." Zeke said, referring to the bag full of normal items that the group were able to attain.
"What about you?" Boulder asked.
"It's fine. Besides, I can't have a retiring adventurer go on empty pockets right?" Zeke isn't actually worried. With the number of real items that he got from the Secret Dungeon, he probably has enough to pay for Felroy and be on his way.
"U should get yeeer shaiiirre, waddaya mean you won't get suum?" Allesiah said.
"Allesiah did you drink beer again?" Boulder said in a worried tone.
"Shaddup Rockiii!" She said, pointing at Zeke instead of Boulder.
"Ahh this is bad, she's doesn't handle liquor very well." Boulder said.
"Just hold on to the items for now. If I don't come to get my share after a week, you're free to do whatever you want with it." Zeke replied, wanting no further objections from the two.
"Boo. Boo." Allesiah replied, dropping her head to the table as she spoke. Both men didn't reply to her anymore, knowing that she isn't a decent part of this conversation anymore.
*Sigh*
"If that's what you want kid. But could you handle Allesiah for now? Her house is on the other side of town." Boulder replied, finishing his meal and taking all the loot.
Zeke looked at the drunk woman and wanted nothing to do with her. But Boulder can't carry any other load so, Zeke just accepted it.
The group dispersed with Zeke assisting Allesiah whose arm is placed over his shoulders. She's all wobbly but Zeke could manage with his current skills. But she kept wobbling that, Zeke got irritated. The other side of town is still a far way from where they are.
"Heave Hooo!" Allesiah said, pushing Zeke and making them both drop to the ground. She laughed as this happened and started moving as if she's making snow angel on the ground. At this Zeke finally snapped.
"That does it. Mana Conversion!" He held Allesiah on his back and tied her hands around his neck. Then, Zeke started jumping from house to house.
"Yippeeee Yooo!" Allesiah said.
"Don't you dare vomit on me." He said to the drunk sorceress.